Recording golf tee



March 2, 1937. G. F. L|NDSLEY 2,072,405

RECORDING GOLF rFEE Filed April 20, 1934 gvvuento@ @wwf FLM/DSMV Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

My invention relates to a practise device for golf players whereby a player can analyze his drives or strokes and acquire skill in this well known game.

5 One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a simple but practical device by means of which the character of the stroke given the projectile or ball may be accurately recorded.

Another object is the provision of means for l indicating upon the head of a golf club the point on the head that contacts with the ball in the execution of the drive or stroke.

A further object is the provision of means for recording on paper the character of a golf swing l or stroke whereby a player is enabled to keep a permanent record of his practise.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means on the practise device for supporting a golf ball in normal relation to a golfer, so that the recording apparatus does not interfere with the practise strokes or drives.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the detailed description hereinbelow, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

For skillful playing of the game of golf it is essential that the ball be driven straight in the direction desired by the player. This result is obtained by accurately striking the golf ball at 0 the desired point with the center of the striking face of the club, and also by properly following through the swing or stroke. Most golfers have had the experience of hooking or slicing the ball, so that it is driven at an angle to the right or to the left of the desired direction. In the apparatus about to be described and shown in the appended drawing I provide means whereby the golfer may record the results of his practise and improve his skill in the playing of the game.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the apparatus, showing a. golf ball supported upon the practise 455 device;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, with parts shown in section;

Figure 3 is a. section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a, plan view of a portion of the roll of paper upon which the character of the golf stroke is recorded.

In the drawing the numeral I designates generally a frame or supporting member constructed of wood or other suitable material, comprising a front transverse wall 2, a rear transverse wall 3, spaced side walls 4; and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, the spaced side members 4 bear upon spaced bottom side members 4. Within the frame member I there are supported transverse members 5 and 6, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. The inner sides of the members 4 are flared outwardly toward the front of the frame member as shown at 'I. The tops of the members 4 are chamfered adjacent l0 their front ends as shown at 8. Supported upon the top of the rear wall 3 and the transverse member 6, there is a platform or spring tee supporting member 9. The top of the rear end of this platform is chamfered as at I0, so that it will 15 not interfere with the swing of the golf club. The top of the platform or spring tee supporting member 9 is cut out at II, and has attached to it by bolts I2 the rear end of the spring tee member I3. The forward end of the spring tee member 20 rises upwardly as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. Near its front end the tee member I3 is provided with a slight depression I4 in which the golf ball I5 is supported. The tee member is made of spring metal or other suitable material, 25 and is so shaped as to provide an elevated support or tee for a golf ball as shown in the drawing.

Mounted by bolts I6 in a recess I'I in the transverse member 6 is the horizontal anchoring por- 30 tion III of an upright staple I9. Loosely pivoted in the staple I9 is the follow through pin 20, preferably made of hardened Steel, which is normally held in an upright vertical position by suitv able resilient means 2 I. The resilient member 2I 3" may be constructed of rubber or suitable spring material, and serves to hold the pin 20 in a normally upright position in line with the center of the golf ball that is supported upon the tee I3, as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. The resilient member 2| may be suitably anchored in the side members 4 by screws 22, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. I'his resilient member not only serves to hold the pin 20 in a normally 45 upright position, but serves to return the pin to its upright position after the pin has been driven to the horizontal position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. Within the front end of the platform 9 there is screwed a suitable guide 23, having at 00 its head a concave recess 24 in which the follow through pin 20 is normally held by the resilient means. This guide 23 is so positioned as to insure the holding of the pin 20 in direct line with the center of the golf ball that is supported upon the tee.

The under side of the platform member 9 is cut out as shown at 25 for the accommodation of a roll of paper 26. This roll of paper is supported upon a shaft 2l which is suitably mounted in the sides of the frame member I. As clearly indicated in Figure 2 of the drawing the paper is advanced under a guide shaft 23, which is also suitably mounted in the side members of the frame, and the paper rests upon the horizontal top of the transverse member 5. Supported upon the top of the forward ends of the side members there is a cutter 29, which is held in position by screws 3Q. Thus, the paper can be pulled out from the roll and torn off at the desired point; the cutter member 29 insures an even cut of the paper. The front transverse wall 2 is out out at 3l so that the golfer can grasp the paper 26, pull it out, and tear it oif at the desired point.

On top of that portion of the paper that rests upon the top of the transverse member 5 there is mounted a sheet of durable carbon paper 32; and on top of the carbon paper there is shown at 33 a strip of canvas, thin leather, or other suitable material which prevents the carbon paper from being torn when the pin 2G is driven in a manner to be described hereinafter to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 of the drawing.

Mounted upon the top of the frame member l there is designated by the numeral 34 a layer of linoleum or other suitable material to absorb the shock of a low false stroke of a golf club, and thus protect the frame member.

Referring particularly to the golf ball I5 that is shown mounted upon the tee, there is shown a circular disc of paper or other suitable material, the ungummed side of which is moistened in any suitable manner by the player so as to temporarily adhere tc the ball and placed upon the ball at the point on the ball at which it is desired to strike the ball with the center of the face of the golf club. When the ball is struck by a club, the gummed side of the paper will adhere to the face of the golf club at the point on the club at which contact is made with the ball in the drive, and thus the player is shown just where his club is striking 'the ball, and by practise he can improve his skill So as to make contact with the ball at the desired point on the face of the club. Therefore by using this circular paper disc in combination with the recording means described above, the golfer is enabled to make a complete analysis of his practise drives or strokes.

Referring particularly to Figure 4 of the drawing it is seen that the recording paper has a center line along its entire length as indicated at and at spaced intervals there are cross or transverse lines 3S; back of each cross line there is a dotted transverse line 3?, which dotted line indicates the degrees to the right or left of the center line 35.

The golf practise device described above can be used in a basement, attic, garage, back yard or at any desired place. The golfer can easily erect a stop net of canvas or other material and place it a few feet ahead of the tee to stop the flight of the ball. W hen used out of doors it is desirable to place the device in the ground so that the spring tee i3 projects above the ground at a desired height. If used inside, the golfer can erect a small platform of approximately the same height as the device, so that the golfer is standing in normal relation to the golf ball supported upon the tee member.

From what has been stated above it is seen that when a golfer is using this device, he meistens the ungumrned side of the disc 35, which as before stated may be of paper, or other suitable material, and places it on the ball at the point he wishes to contact with the face of the golf club. The ball is then placed in the depression I4 of the spring tee member I3, and the golfer is then ready for a practise swing or stroke with any desired type of golf club. When the ball is struck with the club, the ball on leaving the tee, strikes the follow through pin 20, which pin will be driven to a horizontal position against the pull of the resilient member 2 I, and the pin will strike the top of the layer of canvas or thin leather and through the carbon paper 32 will record on the paper 26 the character of the drive or swing. In other words the pin 2G will record on the paper the direction of the flight of the ball, and indicate whether it was sent straight ahead, or at an angle to the right or to the left. The golfer can then easily pull the paper 25 out, tear it oif, and analyze the character of his swing or stroke. In the execution of the drive, the gummed side of the circular paper disc will adhere to the face of the golf club, and the golfer can see the point on his club that made contact with the impact point on the golf ball.

The recording paper shown in Figure 4 of the drawing is preferably provided as shown in the drawing with space for recording the type of club used, the stance, the date, and the character of the swing. Thus by the use of my simple device a golfer can not only record the character of his swing or stroke in all of its aspects, but can keep a record of his practice strokes, and is thus enabled to familiarize himself with the defects in his game, and can note his progress and the development of his skill in properly hitting or driving a golf ball.

The foregoing description is illustrative of an example whereby the invention may be applied in practice, and it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown. The description is to be broadly construed as including substitute constructions and arrangements of parts which are equivalents of the described device.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits what I claim is:

1. In a practise device for golf players the combination of a frame member having a loosely pivoted normally upright pin adapted to be forced to a horizontal position by a driven golf ball, and a record receiving sheet to be contacted by said pin for recording the character of the drive on said record receiving sheet.

2. A practise apparatus for golf players comprising a frame member supporting a loosely pivoted pin, resilient means for holding said pin in a normally upright vertical position, said pin adapted to be forced to a horizontal position by a driven ball, and a record receiving sheet to be contacted by said forced pin for recording the character of the drive delivered to said ball on said record receiving sheet.

3. A golf practise device comprising a frame member having a loosely pivoted pin held in a normally upright position by a resilient member, said pin being positioned to be contacted by a driven golf ball and forced to a horizontal position, a record receiving sheet carried by said frame member to record the character of the golf drive when said pin is forced to a horizontal position in Contact with said record receiving sheet, said resilient means tending to return said pin to its normal upright position.

4. A practise device for golf players comprising a frame member supporting a spring tee, which tee is adapted to support an elevated ball, a loosely pivoted pin carried on said frame member, and held by resilient means in a normally upright vertical position, a guide member having a recessed head into which said pivoted pin is guided, the head of said guide member adapted to guide the loosely pivoted pin member so that it is held by said resilient means in line with the center of a lgolf ball supported upon said tee, said pin positioned to be struck by said ball when driven from said tee, and recording means influenced by said pin for recording the character of the flight of the driven ball.

5. In a golf practising apparatus, an elevated tee for the support of a ball, a loosely pivoted pin held in upright position by a resilient member, means for guiding said pin in line with the center of a ball mounted upon said tee, recording means forward of said pin adapted to be contacted by the pin when it is forced to a horizontal position by a driven golf ball, said recording means adapted to record the character of the golf swing.

6. A practise device for golf players comprising a frame member carrying a roll of paper, means guiding paper from said roll to a transverse member at the upper forward end of said frame member, said transverse member having a horizontal portion upon which the paper is positioned, the paper on said transverse member being substantially covered by a sheet of transfer material, the top of said transfer material protected by a thin layer of relatively durable material, a loosely pivoted normally upright pin adapted to be forced by a driven golf ball into contact with said durable material, whereby the character of the flight of the driven golf ball is recorded.

7. A practising apparatus for golf players comprising a supporting frame member having a tee upon which a golf ball is positioned, an upright pivoted pin member of hardened metal resiliently held adjacent said ball in line with its center, said pin being so' pivoted as to be forced from an upright position by said golf ball driven from the tee, recording means including a record-receiving sheet carried on said frame member in position to be contacted by said driven pin, the angle at which said pin travels to a horizontal position being effected by the character of the blow given to the ball, whereby the character of said blow is recorded by the pin on the record receiving sheet of said recording means.

8. A practise apparatus for golfers including a supporting frame member comprising a front wall, a rear wall, side walls, the tops of which are chamfered adjacent the front of said frame, shock absorbing material mounted upon the top of said frame, a resilient tee member supported on said frame adapted to support a golf ball in elevated position, a recording mechanism supported on said frame, a loosely pivoted pin being engaged by the golf ball when driven, said pin being adapted to be forced into contact, by the drive, with said recording apparatus whereby the character of the flight of the ball is recorded.

9, A practise apparatus for golfers comprising a supporting frame member the top of which is chamfered adjacent its ends, said frame member having a transverse member in which a staple f is anchored to which a pin is loosely pivoted, resilient means for holding said pin in a vertical upright position, a second transverse member supported in said frame, said second transverse member serving as a stop for the pin when said pin is hit by a driven ball, means supported on said second transverse member for indicating the point struck by the deflected pin member.

10. In a practice device for golfers, the combination of a recording mechanism including a record receiving sheet, a recording member positicned to be struck by a driven ball, and moved to contact with said record receiving sheet, whereby the angle of flight of the ball is recorded 0n said record receiving sheet.

11. A golf practice device, comprising a frame, a record receiving sheet mounted in said frame, a support carried by said frame to which said record receiving sheet is gui-ded, a sheet of transfer material adjacent said record receiving sheet, a protective covering for said record receiving sheet, a freely mounted pin supported to be forced into contact with said protective covering by a driven golf ball, whereby the angle of flight of the ball is recorded on said record receiving sheet, and a cutter mounted at the end of said frame so the record receiving sheet may be unwound and severed at a desired point.

l2. In a golf practice device, comprising means for supporting a golf ball to be driven, a record receiving member, a movable element positioned to be engaged by the golf ball in flight and moved to contact said record receiving member to permanently record the angle of flight of the ball.

GEORGE F. LINDSLEY. 

